It has long been known heretofore to employ hand shears of the type conventionally referred to by those skilled in the art as snips for purposes of cutting through a piece of material such as sheet metal. Although the function of all snips may be the same, it is commonly found that prior art forms of snips often times differ from each other in one regard or another. More specifically, it is most often found that when differences exist between prior art forms of snips such differences generally are of a structural nature which affects the operating characteristics of the snips rather than constituting merely differences in appearance.
For example, essentially all of the snips which have been provided heretodate in the prior art have consisted of a pair of members which are operatively connected together generally at their midpoints for pivotal movement between an open and a closed position relative to each other. However, from the standpoint of their constructions, variations are often found to exist between the members of one pair of snips and the members of another pair of snips. Namely, although each of the members is provided conventionally with a handle portion formed at one end thereof and has a jaw portion provided at the other end thereof, changes have been made in the nature of the construction of these members down through the years. One form of change which has occurred resides in the nature of the material from which the members are formed.
Another structural difference probably of a more significant nature than that referred to in the preceding paragraph which serves to distinguish one embodiment of snips from another resides in the nature of the construction of the handle portions of the members. Commonly, the handle portion of each member is provided with a grip, i.e., ear which takes the form of an opening generally oval in configuration which is suitably dimensioned so as to be capable of receiving therein one or more of the fingers of the user. In order to provide the user with a comfortable hold or grip when employing the snips, attempts have been made, as is readily apparent from a reference to the prior art, to vary the configuration, the relative size and shape of the handle portions and/or the relative size, shape and location of the ears formed in the handle portions so as to come up with a configuration which would provide a comfortable hold or grip to the user while at the same time still ensuring that the desired leverage is provided to enable the snips to perform their intended function with a high degree of efficiency. Also, it has been known in this connection in the prior art to skew, i.e., rotate one of the ears out of the major plane of the handle portion for the same aforedescribed purpose.
Yet another structural difference which serves to distinguish some prior art snips one from another resides in the fact that in some instances the blades with which the jaw portions of the snips are provided are formed integrally therewith whereas in other instances detachable blades are employed. In this connection, certain advantages inherently flow from the use of detachable blades. More particularly, if detachable blades are employed, the material from which the blades are formed may be chosen based solely on the consideration of how well such material will function as a cutting means. Likewise, each of the members of the pair of snips may be made from a material which lends itself to being shaped by means of a facile and economical manufacturing process without concern being given as to how such material may be provided with an integral cutting surface. Finally, when the cutting edge of the blades becomes worn through use, it is easier in many instances to replace the blades entirely, which is possible when detachable blades are employed, rather than having to renew the cutting surfaces of the blades through sharpening, etc. which is required when the blades are formed as a integral part of the jaw portions of the members which comprise a pair of snips.
Another area in the construction of snips to which some attention has been directed by the prior art in an attempt to improve the operating characteristics of a pair of snips relates to the manner in which the blades are positioned relative to each other. The latter positioning of the blades obviously affects the way in which the blades meet as the members which comprise a pair of snips are moved to their closed, i.e., cutting position. The reason for this attention is that through such changes improvements have been sought in the cutting action capable of being provided by prior art forms of snips.
Notwithstanding the fact that a large number of snips have been provided heretofore in the prior art embodying differing forms of construction, there has nevertheless still existed a need to make further improvements therein. More specifically, although a number of improvements have been made in the construction of snips as exemplified by the prior art snips to which reference was had hereinabove, such improvements have been limited heretofore solely to only one area or at most two areas of the construction of the snips. Consequently, a need has existed to provide a pair of snips characterized by the fact that a multiplicity of improvements have been made in the overall construction thereof whereby to provide a pair of snips which embodies a construction from which optimal performance is capable of being derived.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved construction for a pair of straight pattern snips operable for cutting a piece of material such as sheet metal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a pair of straight pattern snips wherein the ears formed in the handle portions thereof are skewed, i.e., rotated out of the major plane of the handle portions to provide a comfortable hand grip for the user while employing the snips.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a pair of straight pattern snips providing a comfortable hand hold for a user and which is further advantageously characterized by the fact that the blades thereof are detachably mounted thereon.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a pair of straight pattern snips which besides possessing the capability of providing a comfortable grip and embodying detachable blades is moreover advantageously characterized by the fact that the blades are inclined towards each other whereby to provide the snips with a more effective and efficient cutting action.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a pair of straight pattern snips which embodies a construction which is capable of being easily and economically manufactured, while yet possessing a relatively long and trouble-free operating life.